How to Throw a Pie Party

How to Throw a Pie Party

Yes, a pie party. And why wouldn't you want to do this? We've got access to late-summer stone fruit for sweet ones, and fall is around the corner, beckoning us to make meals out of comforting, savory ones. Yes, pie. It's what's for dinner.

It should be noted that by pie party we mean pie contest, but "party" is Bon Appétit tablet designer Patrick Janelle's way of labeling the event in a non-intimidating way. Because that's the kind of guy he is. One who's nice. One who throws pie parties. The slideshow above shows the action from Janelle's latest pie shindig, and below we've got his tips on how to do the same yourself.

Bonus: Our own Brad Leone won the savory category! And senior food editor Dawn Perry won the whole shebang! And assistant food editor Alison Roman was a runner-up! So we have all of their recipes for you at the end.

A Pie Party Expert's Tips for Throwing a Pie Party

This Is Not a Time for Facebook: Sure, says Janelle, Facebook is easy to use, "but you have a much better chance of having a good event and getting people to be responsive if you send out something more personal." Paper invites aren't required; an email works—just attach a fun image or something that will add visual interest.

Convey Your Expectations—Without Adding Pressure: On the invite, let people know what they're supposed to bring—they should have all the information up front. But Janelle "also wanted everyone to be excited about what they were baking, so I left it open: people could bring savory or sweet, and if they didn't have time or didn't want to bake, they could bring booze (and I requested that they bring cider or whiskey)."

Do Take Some Time with the Guest List: "Think about the amount of space you have. I knew my backyard comfortably fits 25 people. I also knew I had a nice long table that could accommodate 15–20 pies. Knowing that not everyone would be able to attend, I overinvited—about 40 people—so that in the end, there were enough people to make it feel like a party and enough room so those people could move around comfortably. You're looking for that balance between enough people to give the space energy, but not so many that it feels crowded."

Skip the Seats: "I specifically didn't want people to sit at the main table—it's a nice, long table that's meant for showcasing the pies. The minute people sit at the table, you lose the visual impact. I arranged several other groups of tables and chairs for people to sit and set down their drinks."

Stagger the Tables: Speaking of those tables, have some extras that can serve as 1) a bar and 2) a counter for utensils, plates, and napkins. "You want different stations to keep things organized, easily accessible, and pretty."

Offer More Than Pie: The judges need to taste the pies before everyone else demolishes them, so set out snacks. "Just easy, store-bought things are fine: pickles, cured meats, spicy nuts, olives, etc."

Choose a Mixed Panel of Judges: "I wanted a range of people: Camille Becerra was chosen because she’s a chef and I trust her palate. April Flores is a stylist, so she was coming at the pies from a more visual perspective. For the third judge, it was my goal to throw in a wild card and add to the entertainment value. Enter the Brothers Mueller, twins with a penchant of dressing alike. (And to everyone's surprise, including my own, they came in matching lab coats and red spectacles.)"

You Don't Need to Have a Prize (But It Sure Is Nice): "To me, one of the most important things about gatherings is keeping an element of excitement and surprise. When people see the prize and it’s actually a nice thing, it makes them feel like the event was worth it—they're appreciative to have been invited to something that was really thought out. And what better prize for a pie baker than an apron?"

There Will Be Leftovers: "Warmed-up pie with some of those spicy nuts? That was a perfect breakfast the next morning."

I'm Your Huckleberry

by Dawn Perry

"It worked in her favor to go with an ingredient that isn't easy to come by," says Janelle. "Huckleberries were just tart enough to take people by surprise."

CRUSTPulse the flour, salt, sugar, and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining (about 20 pulses). Slowly pulse in 1/3–1/2 cup ice water, adding a little at a time and pulsing to combine until dough just starts to come together (it will hold together when you squeeze it in your palm).

Divide still-crumbly mixture into 2 equal piles and gather together gently. Wrap each in plastic wrap, using the plastic to help bind the dough into discs. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours, and up to 2 days.

Place one of the discs on a lightly floured surface and roll to a 12" circle. Gently fit in the bottom of a 9" pie plate and refrigerate.

FILLINGPreheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss huckleberries and apple with sugar, flour, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Transfer to pie plate and place in the refrigerator while you roll out the top crust (to a 12" circle). Lay top crust over filling. Fold top edges under bottom edges and crimp to seal. Vent the top with a few slits, brush all over with egg, and sprinkle with Sugar in the Raw. Freeze 15 minutes.

Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on the bottom rack 30 minutes. Reduce oven to 350 degrees and continue to bake until top is deeply golden brown, about an hour more.

Let cool at least 4 hours. Slice. Eat. WIN.

Roasted Garlic and Shallot, Potato Pie

by Brad Leone

"He took the conventional look of sweet pie with custardy base and berry topping and turned on its head by making it savory," says Janelle.

CRUSTPut dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until a coarse mealy mixture is formed. You just want to incorporate the butter evenly—be careful not to overmix. Add the milk and pulse until the mixture forms dough. Split dough in half and roll out on a well-floured surface. Keep second dough in fridge while working out the first.

Place in a 9" pie dish and crimp edges with a fork. Brush entire crust with milk and prebake crust at 375 for 10-15 minutes, until crust is golden and firm. Remove from oven and let chill 10 minutes before filling.

FILLINGWhile potatoes are still hot, add first 9 ingredients to a food processor and run until you have a smooth, creamy texture. Season with salt and pepper. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes, then add to the prebaked pie crust. Spread mixture evenly and leave about ½ inch from the top of pie. Carefully push the halved cherry tomatoes into the mixture, cut side up, until the entire surface of filling is covered with halved tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle Parmesan cheese and sliced chili over the tomatoes. Broil pie in oven for a few minutes until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Remove from oven and allow pie to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then chill thoroughly in fridge. Pie can be made a day ahead. Let pie sit at room temp for a few minutes before serving. Drizzle your best olive oil on top and scatter fresh basil and oregano leaves as a garnish.

Raspberry and Almond Hand Pies

by Alison RomanMakes 8

"These were delicious," says Janelle. "It was great that she brought individual pies—it gave people something different than a slice, something that felt made just for them. I also loved the thyme sprinkled on the exterior."

CRUSTPulse flour, almond flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor until well blended. Add butter and pulse until a coarse crumb forms (do not over-process). Whisk yolks with 1 Tbsp. ice water and drizzle in. Pulse until dough comes together (a few dry spots are okay). Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until a smooth dough forms, about 1 minute. Divide dough in half and form into two ½-inch-thick discs. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 2 hours, up to 5 days.

FILLINGOn a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll one disc of dough out to 1/8" thick. Transfer parchment to baking sheet and chill. Repeat with remaining pie crust.

Using a 4” ring cutter, cut out 8 circles from each sheet of dough (making 16 circles total), and transfer to parchment lined baking tray and chill.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Whisk sugar and cornstarch until there are no lumps. Add raspberries and ginger to sugar mixture and toss to combine (sugar and cornstarch will start to dissolve which is what you want). Working quickly, brush 8 circles with egg wash and place 2 Tbsp. raspberry filling in the center of circle. Top with remaining circles to form 8 pies. Using a fork, crimp 1/4-inch around edges to seal. If desired, use cookie cutter to clean edges. Repeat with remaining dough, egg, and filling.

Working with 1 baking sheet of pies at a time, score dough, forming a small X (or whatever design you like) in the center of each pie. Brush tops of pies with beaten egg and sprinkle with raw sugar and a few thyme leaves, if you like. Bake pies until crust is golden brown and filling bubbles out of holes and cracks, 17-20 minutes (some cracks will emerge in the top crust, that’s OK! terrific, even). Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining baking sheet of pies.